When we were quite small, I guess I was about seven and my sister Betty about five. She thought I was the most wonderful person in the world. She wanted to do everything I did. Go where ever I went and if I said something, it was gospel to her.
I remember how we used to make mud pies. I made really pretty ones and I told Betty they tasted great, She really did not want to believe me but yet, she trusted me. So I took a big bite to prove it to her. Of course I really stuck it against my lips and broke a chunk off with my thumb. I pretended to chew it up and with the dirt on my face she believed me. I got her to eat quite a bit of mud pie that day and she said it was good. But of course she had to go tell Momma what good mud pies I made. Needless to say Momma was very upset with me. Telling me what a terrible thing I did to my little sister. She tried to make me feel bad by saying 'If Betty didn't love you so much she wouldn't trust you so much' So ok, I felt bad, NOT!!!
Later a lot of my Mom's family who lived about a hundred and fifty miles from us came down to visit. Sort of a family reunion. My brother Leon and the older boys were out playing together but they wouldn't let my two cousins who were my age and myself go with them because Betty had to tag along everywhere I went. I asked Mom to make her stay and play with the ones her age but Momma said I had to let her tag along. Now we lived way out in the country and there was a big roll of fence wire behind the barn. I made up a game and climbed up on this roll and Betty followed me. When wire is rolled up there is a circle in the middle maybe a couple feet wide depending on how tight it's rolled, I tricked Betty down in that hole and left her. Heck it wasn't my fault she couldn't climb back out. But of course I got in big trouble for it. Poor little ole misunderstood me.
When I was a teenager if Betty wanted to go where ever I went, Momma made me take her or stay home and she always wanted to go. One time my date and I went out to this little air strip known as lover's lane and we went for a walk and left her alone in the pitch black car. It was fun but I got grounded.
I got married at 16 and had my first baby at 17. Betty was 15 and in school. The day I went into labor, I was nearly two months early and she was in school. She had no idea I had gone into the hospital. But she suddenly got very sick, doubled over in pain. She was hurting so badthey had to bring her home. The pain seemed to come and go. When my baby arrived her pain stope! I'd had my revenge. My little sister suffered my labor pains right along with me even though we were twenty five miles apart.
By Marylou Peck, Kentucky
Last Modified on: 05-12-2018